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To Seek Out New Forms of Knowledge: Viewing Star Trek as an Introduction to Cognitive Science and Ways of Thinking About Narrative, Theory of Mind, and Difference

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Abstract

Introducing the combined perspectives of a cross-disciplinary approach can enhance the study of narrative in the college classroom. While cognitive psychologists have posited that theory of mind, or the functioning of a mirror mechanism to engage empathy, is more likely to occur through literary fiction than through popular fiction, the various iterations and episodes of Star Trek provide ways to experience empathy and respect for difference. To begin to explore the strange new worlds now available to us through the fMRI and the research of neuroscientists, and to apply these ways of knowing to an analysis of narrative can contribute to an enriched understanding of how texts work as cognitive functions worthy of study as such. Further, a consideration of metaphor as a method of bridging differences can occur through an examination of examples from Star Trek. With these interpretive tools, we can introduce new modes of thinking about narrative and difference.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Here, Othering receives an upper case O to mark its use as a theoretical term, particularly in reference to the work of Edward Said. See, e.g., Said, Edward W., Orientalism. Vintage, 1979.

  2. 2.

    See for example, Ramachandran, V.S., (2011), especially chapter 4, for a discussion of mirror neurons that is aimed at the layreader [6].

  3. 3.

    I thank the editors for pointing this out.

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Acknowledgments

An earlier version of this piece was shared with my students in Spring 2016, from the rough draft of the abstract that they helped me to revise, to providing feedback on a five-minute digital presentation and talk produced for an academic conference that celebrated Star Trek. In Fall 2016, as I endeavored to evolve this discussion, I shared the process of revising from an oral presentation to a written work with a number of classes, hoping to demonstrate how writing is a continual process that ideally results in a coherent and persuasive argument. This work remains ongoing. I plan to present and refine assignments from this work in the upcoming term. In these ways, I have engaged with Star Trek in academic settings. My son, who enjoyed watching TOS and TNG as a child, contributed suggestions with humor. My cat assisted by walking on the keyboard as I typed. I am most grateful to the editors for their attentive comments.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Vivian Fumiko Chin

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  1. Vivian Fumiko Chin
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of American Studies, Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz, Graz, Austria

    Stefan Rabitsch

  2. Department of History, Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt, Klagenfurt, Austria

    Martin Gabriel

  3. Institute of Networked and Embedded Systems, Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt, Klagenfurt, Austria

    Wilfried Elmenreich

  4. Social Good and Goodwill UX Research, Facebook (via Rose), Menlo Park, California, USA

    John N.A. Brown

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Chin, V.F. (2018). To Seek Out New Forms of Knowledge: Viewing Star Trek as an Introduction to Cognitive Science and Ways of Thinking About Narrative, Theory of Mind, and Difference. In: Rabitsch, S., Gabriel, M., Elmenreich, W., Brown, J. (eds) Set Phasers to Teach!. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-73776-8_13

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-73776-8_13

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-73775-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-73776-8

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

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